Blonde and White, the Hidden Women
by a-girl-with-a-writers-mind
Summary: Lucy and Yukino are in a rather bad situation, involving kidnapping and a certain Lord. Natsu and Erza are agents of Fairy Tail on a mission to save them- and that means infiltrating a mansion and pretending to be foreign aristocrats. What makes Lucy and Yukino so special, and will they ever get their freedom?


**_Author's Note: I wrote this for a fic-exchange a while back on Tumblr, and I am really happy with how it came out. I hope you like it as well! Please leave a review, and enjoy~_**

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 **Summary: Lucy and Yukino are in a rather bad situation, involving kidnapping and a certain Lord. Natsu and Erza are agents of Fairy Tail on a mission to save them- and that means infiltrating a mansion and pretending to be foreign aristocrats. What makes Lucy and Yukino so special, and will they ever get their freedom?**

* * *

The crystal chandeliers cast their light on the ornate ballroom below, illuminating the equally beautiful people that filled it. Laughter tumbled from painted lips, and smooth words flowed from silver tongues. Wineglasses clinked in gloved hands, and eyes glittered with cunning intelligence. Women in gowns that outshone their own features clung to the arms of men, smiling and nodding with practiced politeness. Gentlemen in crisp suits paraded around proudly with their dates, smugly showing off like peacocks. Artificial smiles and fake compliments were handed out like the appetizers- small and meaningless, meant only to create a greater hunger. And what these people craved was attention. They fed on it, thrived on it.

It was a forced facade, and they all knew it.

One man watched all of this with contempt curling his lip and narrowing his dark green eyes. He twirled his wine glass slowly as he gazed out at the throng of people milling around, the dark purple liquid shifting in the thin glass. The man dropped his eyes to his drink, studying it with bored interest. He examined his reflection in the wine; a chiseled face stared back at him, lips turned in a scowl. Rose colored hair was brushed back, but a single rebellious lock fell into hooded eyes.

With a sigh, the man tore his gaze away and settled it back onto the crowd. He lifted the drink to his mouth, the smooth rim of the glass resting on his bottom lip for a moment before he tilted it back and took a sip. The sweet liquid flooded his taste buds before he swallowed it down, the aftertaste tingling on his tongue.

"You shouldn't be drinking that," a voice murmured from his right. The man glanced sideways at the woman who spoke, finding her eyeing his drink with disapproval drawing her brows together slightly.

The pink-haired man rolled his eyes. "Relax, Erza," he drawled. "A little drink never hurt anybody."

The woman's eyes narrowed, her gaze sharpening. "Yes, it did, in fact," she stated, an annoyed edge entering her voice. "And stop scowling. People are beginning to stare."

The man threw her a look. "So what?" He grunted.

Erza's eye twitched. "You are supposed to blend in, not stick out!" she hissed, angling herself so she could glare at him openly without anyone noticing. The man suppressed the urge to flinch; even in a dress, Erza Scarlet was a terrifying woman.

Erza released a breath, the anger receding in her brown eyes. "Just try to take this seriously," she ordered, turning so she was facing the ballroom again. Soft music drifted from where a hired band playing on a raised platform, the polished wood of the instruments catching the light. A few guests had paired off and began dancing, an elegant pattern of steps that they performed with the air of ease. They held themselves with grace, keeping an appropriate distance from their partners as they moved to the rhythm. Skirts flared as the women twirled, and the soft tapping of the men's shoes could be heard with every step they took. The rest of the crowd had slowly formed a ring around the dancing pairs, clapping and cheering politely when different dancers pulled off a particularly impressive move.

The dancers were not what Erza was looking at, however. Her sharp eyes scanned the crowd, taking in the appearance of every guest. She studied them all, individually assessing them in her mind.

The man let his gaze wander over the guests, mentally pairing them with names. They were all members of High Society, rich aristocrats who did nothing but spend money without a care in the world and attend parties just like this one. He forced himself not to let his disdain show, because, despite what he told Erza, she was right. It was impervious that they fit in, blend with the other guests and sink into the background.

It was much easier said than done, unfortunately. Both he and Erza sported quite unusual hair colors that never once failed to turn heads and earn second glances. Erza had it easier, though- her deep scarlet locks only looks slightly strange on her, but his taffy color seem downright out of place on him.

"That's him, Natsu," Erza announced softly, nodding her chin slightly towards the man in question. Lord Bora, the host of the event. He was standing with the rest of his guests in the ring, smiling and clapping along with them. Bora was a rather tall man, with dark midnight colored hair and the symbol of his estate tattooed above his right brow- a small, curved shape, somewhat similar to the letter 'X'. His clothes were of fine quality, too, as was expected of the host- an ornamental dark blue cloak with lilac designs place symmetrically in the cloth, a white dress shirt rimmed with brick-red edging tucked into a pair of dress pants of the same reddish-brown color. Gold cuffs encircled his wrists, the thick bracelets shaped into a simple stacked band. Flashy rings caught the light, the large gems glittering eye catchingly.

Natsu yanked at the collar of his suit roughly, attempting to quell the swell of anger the surged forth at the sight of the man. A small growl of disgust pushed itself past his clenched teeth, and his eyes flashed furiously.

Lord Bora was a criminal, and no amount of money was going to change that. Just over a year ago, Bora was brought to Court for illegally using various drugs that stimulated the female hormones for his own personal pursuits. He was fined ten thousand dollars, and a house arrest for a week. Actions that severe, even done by a common person, would have hit the newspapers immediately and erupted into a full blown scandal. It would have ruined his reputation- a large, ugly black spot on flawless white, an obvious stain which no one could possibly miss. He would have been shunned they all of High Society, treated like nothing more than a filthy street dog. But being the wealthy man he is, Bora managed to bribe all news companies that caught wind of the dirty deeds into keeping quiet. Now here he was, treated like a king; it was no wonder that Natsu didn't like him.

Now, they say, he is kidnapping women- beautiful women, who serve him in bed, and in uniforms.

It started with a whisper from a servant who saw something they shouldn't have. But of course, servants gossip. It spread, breathy secrets murmured into the shells of curious ears, until his whole household knew. _He has two women that don't stay in the servant's quarters,_ they whisper, _women of such jaw-dropping beauty that they can't possibly be human._ Servants passed it on to servants of other estates while they were out, and they passed it on to their coworkers at their house of employment.

And eventually, it reached them- Natsu Dragneel and Erza Scarlet, elite members of F.A.I.R.Y. T.A.I.L. Agency. They received a tip from an unnamed maid that worked for Lord Bora about two women that weren't maids at his households, but they weren't exactly guests, either. Natsu remembered the maid that gave them the information quite clearly- a young woman in servant's' attire, with short pink hair and the blankest expression he had ever seen. She had managed to get away from her duties at her household long enough to arrange a meeting with him and Erza, and provided them with plenty of useful information. But despite her calm demeanor and emotionless face, her voice held a tinge of unmistakable worry.

So here they were, precisely twenty-three and a half hours later, infiltrating a High Society gala. Under the fancy clothes they wore, small microphones were hidden strategically in the folds of the clothes. Erza's was placed at the base of her neck, where her hair covered the small bump it created in the fabric. Natsu's was just under his tie, the little space under the navy fabric near the knot perfectly accommodating the miniature device. They recorded all the conversations the pair held with other party guests, streaming them to headquarters where the control center for their mission was listening in, reviewing the words for any essential information he and Erza could have missed. It was unfortunate that they were stuck with one way communication with the control center, but it couldn't be helped- Levy McGarden's gleeful outbursts when she discovered something new about their mission had blown their cover more than once in the past.

Natsu and Erza had passed themselves off as foreign aristocratic siblings visiting their relatives that lived in the country. Bora, seeing an opportunity to get acquainted with potential future business partners, had instantly invited them to attend his gala once he heard that they had 'arrived.' He had talked on and on about how much he admired their business, and how he had always wanted to meet him, since he had supposedly been inspired by their incredible wealth from a young age. Natsu hadn't known whether to laugh outright at the ludicrous lies, or throw up at Bora's one-track, money-filled way of thinking. He hadn't done either, however- Erza made sure of that.

So far, he and Erza hadn't made much leeway in their mission. They had yet to gather substantial information of any use at all from Bora; despite his casual attitude, he was remarkably apt at avoiding the carefully placed questions they asked. All they got from his was dismissed replies and vague answers. It was really starting to frustrate them.

"It is vital to the mission that we gather some information tonight, Natsu," Erza reminded him. "Not to mention, every day we delay is a day longer that those women are held here."

Natsu sighed; Erza had a point. The longer their mission lay uncompleted, the longer the women had to suffer at the hands of Lord Bora. It wasn't like he wasn't trying- they both were, but their efforts were yielding no results. But if the maid was correct, then tonight would be a major breakthrough.

According to their informant, Bora would have brought his secret women to the gala tonight; a person with his arrogance couldn't have waited any longer for a chance to show off his new toys. Natsu and Erza's goal for the night was to locate and observe the two women- but it was much easier said than done. The only description they had was derived from the fleeting glimpses the maid had caught of the women since they had arrived at Bora's household, and, of course, the rumors surrounding their great beauty.

" _They both have brown eyes,"_ the pink haired maid had told them. " _And one was blonde, and the other of white hair. They are attractive, in both body and faces."_ All the information was helpful, but the most critical part, however, had been her afterthought; " _Oh, and I can't be entirely sure, but it looks like they had small tattoos all over their bodies- and they were all shaped like stars."_

That had been the key piece of information. Tattoos, no matter the shape, would have easily narrowed down their potential targets. But star shaped tattoos was an entirely different matter altogether; people who had tattoos like that were extremely rare. The more Natsu thought about it, the more worried he became.

"I know, Erza," Natsu replied, an edge of unease in his voice. "Trust me, I know."

The crimson haired woman glanced at him, an expression of slight concern decorating her face. She parted her painted lips to reply, but something caught her attention. Natsu followed her sharp gaze, once again landing on Lord Bora. The circle surrounding the dancers had long since broken, and the party guests were back to chatting amongst themselves. Bora, instead of mingling with his guests, was making his way to the main doors of the ballroom, his strides long and determined. Natsu watched through narrowed eyes as the doors were opened by the guards from the outside, and Bora stepped out of view for a moment. He returned a moment later, but this time, he was not alone.

Two women were each holding one of his arms, their gloved hands tucked neatly under his arms. Natsu pushed himself off the wall fluidly and set his wineglass on the table nearest to him, and began walking briskly towards the trio. Erza followed right behind him, and she tugged on his sleeve discretely. "Not so quickly!" She hissed. "You're attracting attention!"

Natsu couldn't care less at the moment, but he slowed down anyway, his dark eyes fixed on the women who had just entered the room with Bora. The three had gathered the attention of the other guests, and the amazement and surprised etched on their faces only spurred his impatient curiosity further. With agonizing slowness, they walked towards the host and the women with him, and slowly, the features of the two new women were becoming clearer and clearer.

Even from his place on the wall, Natsu had been able to make out most of the details of the two women. One was clad a simple, light green gown, the long sleeves and neckline rimmed with small white feathers. The bodice was decorated with mint green colored designs that almost looked like the buttons on a military uniform, the 'v' shaped edge rimmed with green. A silver pendant hung from a thin chain around her neck, the intricately designed disk resting just above the swell of her breasts. A doubled string of green beads joined together under a large, apple colored rose to create a delicate headpiece. The lady on Lord Bora's other arm was wearing a layered dress of varying hues of pink. The top layer was a magenta color, and darker patterns covered it, while the under layer was of dusty lilac-pink. Pale pink ruffles lined the neckline and layers, as well as the top of the off-the-shoulder three-quarter sleeves. A necklace made of the same pink ruffle encircled her neck, held there by the same dark ruby ribbons that fluttered from the top of her sleeves. A large rose of the same color sat at the center of her neckline, and a headpiece of pale pink pearls and red fabric sat on her head elegantly.

Oh, and they had blonde and white hair.

The woman in the green dress sported short hair, the colour a beautiful blend of pure, snow white and an incandescent silver, the ends just tickling the base of her neck. The strands caught the light, glinting like a fashionable silver helmet. Her counterpart had a head of gold; the long locks were gathered in a stylish updo, a few locks left free to frame her face. Each strand was a thing filament of spun gold, shining magnificently.

Their hair had been the very first thing that caught Natsu's eye; the second, however, was their beauty.

The women had such ethereal beauty about them, and Natsu found that he couldn't tear his gaze away. Every move they made was regal and graceful, and compelled everyone to look at them. Large, chocolate and coffee eyes gazed out through long black lashes, and small button noses sat above plump pink lips. The elegant sweep of their cheekbones carried light blushes, and the slender columns of their necks ended with graceful collarbones. They had slim shoulders, and busts that rivaled the rest of the women's'. Toned waists flared into attractive hips, and the rest of their figure was hidden from view.

Suddenly, an elbow jabbed into his side, and Natsu jerked back into focus. He closed his hanging jaw, and turned to glare at the person responsible for the pain in his ribs. Erza glared right back at him, but a glimmer of amusement was in her brown orbs. "What?" Natsu snapped.

"You were staring," she replied simply.

"So is everyone else!" He retorted, a scowl marring his features.

Erza smiled slyly. "But you aren't like everyone else," she told him lightly.

Much to his eternal embarrassment, he colored at her implication. "Whatever," he growled. "Back to business. These are clearly the women that we are supposed to look for."

Erza nodded, her smile replaced with a serious expression as she turned back to the women in question as they walked around with Bora. "You're correct," she agreed, nodding slightly. "Now we need to find out where they are being held on the property. Alright, here's the plan," she announced, lowering her voice to a hushed murmur. Natsu leaned down a bit, and she began. "Chances are Bora isn't going to keep them up here all night; he doesn't want to leave them alone where they might tell someone of their predicament, but towing them around would be too much of a hassle for him. So, when they leave, I'll make up an excuse for us to also depart, and then we'll change and follow them. Sound good?" Natsu nodded in agreement. "Okay, then. Plan 'Free the Hidden Women' is in action from here on out."

* * *

Just like Erza predicted, Lord Bora sent the two women back to wherever they were being held, making up an obvious excuse for their departure. "I'm afraid the Ladies aren't feeling too well," he informed them with false graveness, clasping his hands in front of him and tilting his head as to make him seem more believable. As soon as his small announcement was finished, Natsu met Erza's eye from where she stood at a pastry table. She nodded discreetly, and set her plate down on the maroon tablecloth.

With feigned nonchalance, she wandered over to him, slowly passing the other guests. Soon she was standing right next to him, and turned so nobody could see them talking. "Alright. Pretend we both aren't feeling very well, okay? Look like you are in discomfort for a little bit; it'll look suspicious if we leave immediately after them. We can't have him suspecting anything," she instructed. "And don't overdo it, okay?"

Natsu nodded once, and began constructing the image he wanted to portray in his head. Press lips together a bit, draw brows together, put a slightly pained look in the eyes, and breath shakily. Natsu transferred the image onto his own face, slowly screwing his face up in discomfort as to make it appear like he was gradually feeling worse and worse to any onlookers.

He glanced down at Erza, and did a double take; she pretended so well that for a second he thought she was actually in pain. Her lips were pinched together tightly, and her eyebrows were cocked in a way the hinted at hidden discomfort. Her arm pressed against her stomach, and she even had a thin sheen of sweat glistening slightly on her forehead- how she managed to do that was beyond him.

The pair stayed like that for some time, until it had been a good ten minutes since the women had left. They didn't want to seem suspicious, but they didn't want to lose their targets, either. So, they made their way to where Lord Bora was standing, conversing with another one of his guests. When he saw them approaching, however, he excused himself and started in their direction. The large smile on his face dropped away when he looked in their tormented expressions, and a worried look overcame him. "Oh, my!" He exclaimed once they reached him, brows knit. "You don't look too well!"

Erza smiled tightly at him, pretending to hold back obvious pain for his sake. "Sadly, we don't feel too well, either," she replied, her voice taking on the thick accent that they had tricked everyone into believing was natural, due to their supposed homeland. "My brother's and my stomachs are churning in the most uncomfortable way. It must be something in the food that isn't what our stomachs are used to that caused this."

If Bora was suspicious of them, he didn't show it. Whether it was fake or not, an expression of concern covered his face. He nodded at Erza's words. "I am very sorry to hear that," he responded, soundly not too sorry at all. "Will you be taking your leave, then?" He inquired.

Erza nodded. "I am afraid so," she replied for both of them, regret lacing her words. "I think it is best if we try to get some rest."

Lord Bora nodded in sympathy. "Yes, I agree. I'm sad that you must leave, but your health is more important," he sighed, false sadness making itself shown in his expression. "Well, I wish you both a speedy recovery, and I hope we can meet again sometime in the near future."

The scarlet haired women forced out another smile. "As do I, Lord Bora. Farewell for now," she replied, dipping her head slightly. Natsu followed suit, making sure to keep the feigned discomfort obvious.

"Farewell, my friends," Bora repeated, bowing slightly.

With that, Natsu and Erza walked towards the main doors of the ballroom, earning a few glances, but thankfully, no questions about their early departure. For what seemed like forever, they walked, keeping up the pained facade. The guards opened the doors for them in perfect sync, and the pair stepped out, the doors closing behind them and cutting off the noise of the party. Before they closed completely, Natsu glanced back over his shoulder. Lord Bora was once again speaking to one of his guests, a smile plastered over his face and not a trace of the supposed worry he had less than two minutes ago remained. Then the large doors closed, blocking off his view.

Erza nudged him, and gestured with her chin to where the receding forms of their targets and their escort guards could just be made out at the very end of one of the hallways that branched off the main one that they were currently standing in. His gaze flickered back to her; _I see them,_ his eyes told her.

They walked in silence down the long hallway, in case someone was watching them. After a while of only their footsteps echoing off the cold tiles, Erza's eyes drifted up to meet his. He nodded once- then they dropped the pained expressions and bent do to yank their shoes off. Within seconds, they were sprinting down the hallway, shoes in hand, Erza's scarlet hair and white dress flying out behind her. They were silent, darting around a corner and flying over the ground. After turning left three times and right four, they slowed down. The pair was standing in a servants' hallway, the walls bare of the gilded paintings and decorative vases that the main hallways had. Multiple doors lined the walls instead, leading to various hallways and staircases used by the servants so they weren't seen by the owners of the property as they did their job. Some lead to storage rooms, just like the one they were looking for.

Natsu counted the doors as he went, and they halted in front of one. There were no markings to distinguish it from the rest; it was a plain wooden door with a brass lock and handle, like every other one in the hallway. Erza plunged her hand down the front of her dress, and fished out the key that she had hidden between her breasts. "Open the door," she ordered, tossing him the key. It was warm, and Natsu screwed up his face in disgust- but one look from Erza, and he slid it into the keyhole while she began pulling out the pins from her hair. Natsu quickly twisted the brass key and unlocked the door, and wrenched it open. The light from the hallway revealed a small storage room, with a broom in one corner and simple wooden shelves lining the back wall. He groped the wall for the light switch, and flicked it on once he found it. On the uppermost shelf, a large black duffle bag sat amongst the various cleaning supplies with bright, colorful labels that surrounded it. Natsu reached up and grabbed it, and then dropped it on the floor. He unzippered it quickly, and yanked out the contents- it was a change of clothes for them, consisting of tank-tops, pants, and boots, all mottled gray in color. These would allow them to move freely, and, more importantly, secretly. The grays allowed them to blend in with the shadows, and the tightness of the clothes let the move with minimal sound. Perfect for the work they were about to do.

Natsu lifted his tie, and carefully took the small microphone out, placing it gently on one of the shelves. He then proceeded to undress as quickly as possible, ripping the confining clothes off in a careless manner. He dropped his shoes from where he had put them on the shelf onto the floor, and nudged them next to the pile of haphazardly thrown clothes. The crisp suit was now wrinkled and turned partially inside-out, and the slacks that had been so carefully pressed now lay in a messy heap on the dusty floor.

But of course, Natsu paid no attention to the state of the formal wear as he yanked the sleeveless top in his size over his head, effectively mussing the articulately brushed back locks. Natsu like it better that way- the wildness of his hair matched the wildness of his nature. He hopped around on one leg as he pulled on the tight pants, nearly tripping over his discarded clothes and bumping into a shelf.

Once he finally managed to get the dark pants on properly, Erza turned to him, free of the jewels that hung from her ears, neck, and wrists, and the pins that held up her hair. "Zipper," she commanded simple, turning around and holding her long hair out of the way. She had gotten about three inches of the two-foot long zipper opened; the rest remained closed, and time-wasting. Natsu would have smiled, if he wasn't in such a rush- the great Titania, halted by a mere zipper. But instead, he pulled the little tab down rather viciously, unclipping the microphone, and Erza shimmied it off her body and it crumpled into a white and purple mass on the ground before she stepped out. She pulled on her pants with much more ease than Natsu had, and held her hand out: "Shirt," came another one-word command. Natsu tossed it to her, and she slipped into it quickly. Together, they pulled on their boots and tied the laces up, before stuffing their party clothes into the duffle as best they could and returning it to its temporary home on the top shelf.

Erza tied up her hair with a leather cord she found in the bag and they clipped the microphones onto the collars of their shirts, and then they were off. It had taken them precisely three minutes and forty-one seconds to change; that was forty-one seconds longer than they anticipated. The raced through the servant's halls, retracing their path to the ballroom. As they neared the ballroom, a burst of noise sounded, and instantly, they flattened themselves around the nearest corner. Natsu's heart pounded at the close call, and he peeked around the corner to assess the situation; the doors to the ballroom were open, the bright light spilling out onto the tiled hallway. Footsteps grew closer to the doors from inside, and soon, a young man and woman walked out. Natsu let out a small breath of relief- it was just some guests. They would be far along enough in the hall in a moment to not notice him and Erza sneaking behind them.

As soon as they were far enough, Natsu and Erza resumed their mission, heading into the hallway in which they had seen the women go. The hallway was not nearly as ornamental as the main hallway- that must mean that it was probably another servants hall. For a good seven minutes, the pair sprinted down the hall, trying to make up for the head start the women had to wherever they were going. Thankfully, the hall stayed straight and didn't branch out into more than one; that would have slowed them down incredibly.

Natsu was just thinking about how much luck they had to have avoided any servants so far, when fate decided to have some fun with him. Without warning, a door opened farther along in the hallway, and a young servant stepped out. The little ditty that he was whistling died off as he caught sight of them running to what, he assumed to be, him. His eyes widened in fear and surprise, and he just began to turn back and open his mouth to yell when Natsu caught up to him. He rammed his fist into the boy's stomach, using his momentum to his advantage. Whatever cry that had been on the boy's lips was cut off viciously as he choked at the force, and Natsu tossed him against a wall as he kept running. The boy's head slammed into the wall, and the two hits he received worked together to effectively knock him unconscious.

Though Natsu felt bad about hurting an innocent young boy, it was important that he did. If that boy had called for help or gotten away and warned someone else about them, they would probably set guards on them, and that would be a real nuisance to deal with. They would probably waste twenty minutes taking out the guards, and by then, they would have lost the women's trails completely.

Just three minutes later, Natsu and Erza caught sight of the women and the guards that accompanied them. They slowed down, lest they get sighted by one of the guards, and stuck close to the walls, where the shadows cast by the lanterns on the walls were thickest.

They watched as one of the guards, a rather fat man, broke away from the group, and reached towards one of the doors in the wall. This one was different than the rest- a small window was placed near the top, the glass extremely thick. The guard pulled out a key ring from where it hung from his belt, and began going through each large key, one by one, with infuriating slowness. Finally, he found the key he was looking for, and placed it in the lock. With a twist of his wrist, the door opened. They couldn't see inside as the door blocked their view, but it was obvious that this is where the women were being held.

Natsu caught Erza's eye from where she was on the opposite side of the hallway. She pointed at him, then at one of the guards, and then cut her hand through the air. She pointed to herself and then the other guard. She held up her hand in a stop sign, and then spread them. Natsu understood completely; he was to take out the guard on his side, and she would take the other. Wait until she counts down from five before moving.

The other guard that was still standing with the women tightened his grip on their arm, and began herding them into the room. They turned in such a way that Natsu could see part of their faces, and the looks on them made him clench his teeth with suppressed rage. Misery and hopelessness pulled at their flawless features, the very ones that had been set in serenity fifteen minutes ago. The change was drastic; their pretty little lips were curved downwards, and their perfectly shaped eyebrows were drawn together. Their eyes swam with incomprehensible despair and anguish; Natsu sucked in a sharp breath when he saw tears glimmering in the silver girl's eyes. Their perfect posture was slumped in resignation, and the heads that they had held high now hung low in defeat.

The girls walked slowly towards the open door, trying to prolong the little freedom they had. Natsu watched as the blonde's hand crept out from where it was clasped in front of her, and reached for her companion's own slender one. She laced her finger through her's, keeping her eyes trained on the ground as they walked side by side.

Erza's thumb went down.

The trembling girl started slightly at the touch, and her chocolate eyes flew to the woman's face. A tear escaped her wide eyes, and it left a wet trail behind it as it slid down her pale skin. She stared at the woman by her side, and slowly, she raised her coffee orbs to meet her gaze. Her eyes held such sadness, but she offered her a tight, watery smile that spoke of strength. Another tear slipped out, and the silver-haired girl closed her parted lips and returned with a soft smile of her own.

The index finger folded down.

The green-clad girl took a shaky breath, and some of the pain in her eyes eased. With a prod from the guard behind them, they continued walking, with a little more confidence in their steps. The door hid them from view, and the swishing of their skirts ceased.

Her middle finger dropped.

The guard slammed the thick door, the loud noise echoing in the barren hallway. With a jangle of metal, the first guard slid the brass key back in the lock. He twisted it, and pulled it out, tugging on the handle experimentally. Satisfied, he turned away, hanging the key ring back on his straining belt.

The ring finger bent.

The guards began making their way leisurely back towards where they came- and more importantly, towards them. Natsu and Erza pressed themselves tighter against the walls, nestling themselves into the small wood beams that protruded from the walls every twelve or so feet. Their clothes helped them blend into the shadows, and they kept their sharp eyes fixed on the guards. The guards were clearly taking their time, ambling along slowly as they spoke with each other in rough, loud voices. They grew closer and closer with every passing second, and Natsu found himself tensing in preparation. They were six feet away. Then four. Three. After a few more steps, they had lined up perfectly with the hidden pair.

Erza's last finger fell, and then they attacked.

* * *

The two women jumped slightly when the door slammed behind them, and they were locked in the small room. The blonde woman drew in a long breath, and released it slowly, tilting her head back and closing her eyes. Her fingers were still connected with comrade's, and the silver-haired girl gave it a squeeze. She opened her eyes and lowered her head, turning to her friend.

The girl was looking at her feet. The small burst of confidence she had a mere minute ago had worn off since they were alone, and her slim shoulders sagged. Fresh tears filled her eyes, and she bit her lip. "I-I," she stuttered, her lips trembling. A small sob tore from her mouth, but she choked it down. "I'm scared, Lucy," she confessed, her voice broken. "I can't keep doing this. He keeps forcing us to do whatever he wants, and I just can't. I want to go home," she whispered. Tears spilled down her her cheeks, and heartbroken sobs racked her frame as she cried.

Lucy's heart melted at her pitiful state, and her shoulders loosened. She gently removed her hand from the sobbing girl's grasp, and wrapped her arms around her shuddering shoulders. She hugged her to her chest, and the girl clung to her waist as she wept into to crook of Lucy's neck.

Lucy held her close, stroking her hair and speaking to her softly. "It's alright, Yukino. It'll be alright," she murmured, and pressed a kiss into the other girl's silvery hair. Soon, the sobs petered out, replaced with delicate sniffles. Yukino rested her head on Lucy's shoulder for a moment, before pulling away. Her cheeks were stained with tears, but her eyes were full of affection and happiness.

"Thank you, Lucy," she whispered, her voice a little scratchy.

Lucy smiled. "No need to thank me," she told her softly, before straightening her back. "Now that that's done, let's get ready to sleep. I'll ask for some water to wash your face with; you look terrible," she informed her, a joking smile curving her lips. Yukino gave a strangled laugh as she wiped the last of the tears from her big eyes. Lucy lit a candle, and together, the girls began undressing as quickly as they could in the tiny room. They pulled off the gloves and jewelry, and helped each other out of the long dresses. They folded the dresses and laid them on the little, rough hewn wooden stool that served as their nightstand. They slipped into the simple, sleeveless gray nightgowns that were at the foot of the small bed, and began brushing out their hair with the thin comb that was in the room.

"I think both of us are going to get to stay tonight," Lucy mused as she fisted a portion of her hair and began running the comb through. "Considering the gala and-"

She cut off as a sound came from the door. A clink of metal could be heard, and both girls turned to face it. The handle of the door moved slightly, and they shared a narrow-eyed look. It sounded like someone was trying to unlock the door - but that shouldn't be the case. The guards were the ones with the key, and they left fifteen minutes ago. No one ever bothered them, unless Lord Bora sent for them. For a moment, the noises stopped, and they turned away from the door.

Suddenly, the door was yanked open viciously, and they shrieked in surprise as it slammed against the wall of the hallway with a loud clang. The candle went out at the wind the door created, plunging the room into darkness, except for the weak light that fell from the hallway. A tall figure stepped into the room, the light from outside casting him in shadow. Lucy and Yukino's eyes widened in surprise, and they scrambled back on the bed away from the approaching man. They pressed themselves against the wall, the metal frame of the bed digging in their backs as they stared at the man in fear. He crept closer and closer, his hand on the foot of the bed as he leaned towards them. The girl's hearts thumped painfully and their chests, and their breath came out in short breaths.

Then a smaller figure darted into the room, and promptly slapped the man over the head. Lucy watched with wide eyes as he yelped in pain and recoiled. "Natsu!" The new figure, a woman, hissed. "Can't you see that you're scaring them?"

The man turned to the woman. "I didn't mean too!" He whined, and Lucy could make out a pout on his face.

The woman sighed exasperatedly. "What am I going to do with you?" she muttered, before rounding on the girls who stared at them, utterly gobsmacked. "Come on, ladies," she ordered, but her voice was gentle. "We have to leave now." She turned to leave, but stopped once she realized that Lucy and Yukino hadn't moved an inch.

"What...Who are you?" Lucy questioned, regaining her voice. Her face screwed up in confusion, and the woman sighed again.

"We'll explain everything later, but right now, we need to get you two out of here," she promised, then her brown eyes flickered out to the hall. "Right now."

Lucy couldn't understand what was going on. Who were these people, and how did they get in their room? She peered out the door, and her narrowed eyes widened. There, in the middle of the hallway, the two guards that had brought them back to their room were sprawled out on the bare tiles. One guard had an arm bent at an unnatural angle, and blood dripped out of their mouth. And if she looked closely at the newcomers, she could just make out the crimson splotches on their knuckles. Lucy averted her eyes, and swallowed thickly. Okay, these people were clearly not working for Lord Bora- in fact, they appeared to be working against him. And any enemy of Lord Bora's was a friend of theirs.

"Yukino," she mumbled, shaking the frozen girl's arm gently. "I think we should go with them."

The girl turned to look at her questioningly, and Lucy nodded to the still forms in the hall. Yukino's gaze landed on the guards, and she gasped. "O-okay," she agreed. They cautiously peeled themselves from the wall, and slowly climbed off the bed. The woman tapped her foot impatiently, and as soon as their feet touched the floor, she grabbed Yukino's arm.

"Let's go, let's go, let's go," she urged them, pulling the surprised girl behind her. The man, Natsu, followed suit and grasped Lucy's wrist, dragging her behind him as he walked briskly.

When they stepped out into the hall, the features of the new people became clearer. The woman had shocking scarlet hair, and a serious look on her pretty face. Her partner had an even stranger hair color; a messy mop of bubblegum pink hair fell into dark green eyes, and his square jaw was tensed.

Lucy caught up to him, and he peered down at her. His eyes swept over her body quickly, eyes lingering on her exposed arms, before he clenched his jaw and returned his gaze to the hall. Lucy frowned at the strange behavior- but then again, every thing about these people was strange. "Um," Lucy began, trying to pick a question from her the disorganized whirlwind that was her mind to ask. "Who are you guys exactly?"

The woman glanced back at her. "I'm Erza, and he is Natsu. We're agents from Fairy Tail," she informed her. Lucy and Yukino exchanged bewildered looks.

"Okay…" Lucy drawled, unsure of what to do with the information. "Where are you taking us?" She inquired instead, settling on asking questions.

"The goal is to get you two out of here and back to headquarters, where we'll figure out the rest from there," she explained, stopping to peer around a corner. The hallway clear, and they continued. Natsu and Erza pulled them along, and Lucy and Yukino struggled to keep up. Their nightgowns kept getting tangled in their legs, and the cold tile hurt their bare feet.

Lucy nearly tripped, and Natsu frowned back at her, clicking his tongue in annoyance. Suddenly, he turned, and Lucy ran right into his chest. Before she could fall, he scooped her up, and Lucy squeaked in surprise. His arms held her behind her knees and back, and Lucy reflexively flung her arms around his neck at the sudden change. "What are you doing?" She yelped, clutching him tightly.

Natsu sighed. "You're too slow," he replied simply, racing through the halls faster than he had with her running by herself.

Lucy heard a shriek of surprise, and when she looked up, she found Yukino in the same situation as she was. For her slim build, Erza was amazingly strong; she was carrying Yukino the same way Natsu was carrying her. _Just who are these two?!_ Lucy thought, and felt a headache forming with all the questions that swam in her head.

Natsu and Erza ran for several minutes, turning corners as if they had memorized the layout of the estate. Hell, they probably did.

They slowed down in a servants hall lined with nondescript doors. Natsu stopped in front of one, and rearranged Lucy in his arms, so that he held her with one hand. Lucy wrapped her legs around him, fearful of falling down. It shouldn't be possible, the ease that he carried her with, but the muscles rippling under his tanned skin told her that it was true. Still, she clung to him tightly as he fished a key from his pocket, and stuck it in the lock. He shoved the door open with his free shoulder, and walked inside. Lucy looked around the room that they were in- it was a small storage room, she realized, the cleaning supplies clueing her in. Natsu strode up to the shelves in the back, and pulled a large black bag from the top. He slung it over his shoulder, and rushed out to the little room. He closed the door behind him, not bothering to lock it, and turned. He drew his arm back, and proceeded to throw the key as far as he could down the hall. Natsu turned back around and started running again, supporting Lucy with two arms, while she watched the little brass key sail out of view.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Natsu and Erza were still running through the hundreds of interconnected servants halls, and Lucy marveled their stamina. They darted around corners and ducked into the shadows every time a servant passed them.

The pair stopped in front of a large set of wooden double doors, the brass handle worn by use and the white paint cracked and chipped. They set Yukino and Lucy down carefully, ushering them to hide behind one of the two columns that stood guard next to the doors. Both women were still fairly dazed at the rapid turn of events, and obeyed, keeping silent like they were told.

The four of them stood behind the column, apparently waiting for something, though Lucy didn't know what that was. They didn't have to wait long, though- less than a minute later, the doors swung open, and loud noises burst forth. People were calling to each other, loud _clangs_ and _bangs_ sounded, and the rushing of feet filled the air. A lone figure stepped out of the chaos, holding the door open. "Erza, Natsu," she called softly, and Lucy's eyes widened. So they had a contact in the staff, it seemed. "You may come out."

Erza stepped out from behind the column confidently, and the rest of them followed closely. Lucy peered at the woman that had called to them; she was a young woman with a flat expression and piercing blue eyes that watched them closely. Short pink hair, about the same length as Yukino's, sported a small maid's headpiece, corresponding with the short black dress and white apron of the uniform she wore. Her hands were clasped in front of her, and she directed them into the room from which she came.

Lucy found herself standing in the front of an enormous kitchen filled to the brim with servants and cooks alike, stirring, tasting, sprinkling, drizzling, cutting dicing, and all the other things that they needed to do in order to create the fine dishes that they served the party guests and the residents of Lord Bora's estate. Servants in black vests with long sleeved white undershirts and simple black slacks called orders to the cooks, empty silver trays held by their side as they read off the little slips of papers they held. Assistant cooks ran to and fro, fetching ingredients at the cooks' demands. The aromas of the food drifted through the air, clashing and intertwining to create scents that Lucy had never smelled before. All in all, it was utter chaos; a beautiful, disorganized chaos that worked perfectly.

The maid led them around the walls, skirting around workspaces and dodging erratic assistant cooks, slowly making their way to their destination- a small door halfway down the length of the massive room. The four of them earned strange looks and odd stares, and the maid got several questioning glances, but everyone was far too caught up in their work to pay them much heed.

Finally, they reached the door, and the pink-haired woman opened it and poked her head out. Once she was sure that the coast was clear, she pulled back and nodded to them. One by one, the slipped into the hallway, and though this one too was a servants hall, it was far busier than the others. Servants and maids dashed up and down, entering and leaving the kitchen. Thankfully, just like in the kitchen, no one barely even noticed them- how they didn't, Lucy didn't know. She and Yukino were constantly attracting attention from their looks, but Natsu and Erza walked beside them, shielding them from view for the most part. But either way, they weren't inconspicuous in the slightest- even without their gray clothing and bloody fists, their vibrant hair color turned heads. But, Lucy speculated, with the maid leading them's cherry blossom hair, they must think that Natsu and Erza were her siblings, or something along that line.

The maid brought them do a thick wooden door. "This is the exit you were looking for," she informed them in a monotonous voice, gesturing to it with her chin. "I wish you the best of luck on your mission."

Erza gave her a warm smile. "Thank you for all your help, Virgo. We really appreciate it, and couldn't have done it without you," she told her sincerely, gratitude lacing her words.

The maid bowed slightly. "My pleasure," she responded emotionlessly.

Lucy's eyes widened slightly. "Virgo," she whispered, lifting her hand to her chest. Inky black stars marked her skin, forming the constellation of the Virgin. She touched the markings lightly, and traced a finger on the skin, connecting the stars from memory. "The Maiden."

Virgo turned her blue eyes to her, and they flickered down the markings. For the first time that they had seen, a small, almost unnoticeable, smile graced her lips. "Yes," she agreed. "Virgo the Maiden." With that, she bowed again, and left. Lucy watched her retreating form, tilting her head at the coincidence as she rubbed her skin. Yukino too was touching the markings on her chest, a thoughtful look in her eyes.

Natsu cleared his throat. "We should get going," he reminded them. Erza nodded, grasped the handle, turned it, and opened the door with ease.

Lucy and Yukino gasped as cool night air breezed in, bringing with it the fresh smells of greenery. Their eyes lightened in excitement, and they turned to look at each other for a moment, before staring out the door. The sky was a deep blue, and twinkling silver stars were scattered across the cloudless dome. The crescent moon glowed with ethereal light, illuminating the landscape. "Lucy!" Yukino exclaimed, awe filling her voice. "Look! Oh, look at the beautiful stars!" She stepped outside, and tears filled her eyes. "We haven't seen them in weeks," she whispered. "And now look! There they are! Shining so brightly!" A tear slipped down her cheek, but it was one of pure joy. She spread her arms, and closed her eyes, breathing in the fresh air. Lucy joined her outside, gazing up at the sky she had been deprived of, the glorious stars glittering just for them. "Yes," she whispered softly. "They are beautiful, aren't they?"

Erza stepped out hesitantly, reluctant to spoil the moment, but a mission was a mission. "Lucy, and Yukino, right? One of our co-workers is going to come in a car and pick us up, okay?" She told them. The girls nodded, still enjoying the fresh air.

As if on cue, headlights cut through the darkness, making them squint against the blinding light. They belonged to a sleek black car that drove up and rolled to a stop in front of them. The window of the driver's seat rolled down, revealing a ginger-haired man with a gray suit, and, oddly enough, a pair of blue-tinted sunglasses. "Hey," he greeted Natsu and Erza. His gaze was pulled almost immediately by the two women who were watching them curiously. He gave them a once-over, raising an eyebrow at the two agents. "These the girls?" He asked.

Natsu nodded. "Hey, Loke. And yeah, this is them."

Loke whistled. "Damn," he declared, peering at the girls again. "I knew that maid said they were pretty, but these girls are _gorgeous._ " Lucy felt her face heat up at the bluntness of his words.

Natsu sighed. "We're on a mission, Loke. Stop ogling over pretty girl you come across," he chided.

Loke rolled his eyes. "Whatever, man. Get in the car," he ordered, and they all climbed in. Natsu sat in the passenger's seat, while Erza, Lucy, and Yukino crammed in the back, their wide hips making it a tight squeeze. As soon as they were buckled, Loke hit the gas, and they were off, driving down the unguarded back roads behind the estate. He drove at a gentle pace as to not raise suspicion by any onlookers, but as soon as they were off Bora's property, he upped the engine until they were speeding along, the outside world blurring.

"Guess what, Yukino?" Lucy asked her softly, gazing out as the terrain whipped by. "We're free.

Yukino turned to her. "Yeah," she whispered, relief evident in her chocolate gaze. "We are."

* * *

After driving for a good hour and a half, they had reached to the town of Magnolia. It was a large town, the streets bustling with people even at the late hour. Loke wove his way down the streets, maneuvering them around stopped cars. A tall building rose up near the center of town, the modern design a big contrast from the cottage-like houses that lined the streets. Loke drove them straight to the building which Lucy assumed was their destination. Soon, the building was towering over them, the imposing architecture commanding all of Lucy's attention. Loke eased to the car into a spot in the parking lot in front of the building, and they all got out. Lucy felt a little stir of nervousness as she waited for Erza to get out before she could do so herself, but a warm smile from the redhead quelled it.

Lucy stepped out of the car, and the rough pavement she felt under her feet reminded her of the fact that she and Yukino were still in their nightgowns. She walked nonetheless, relishing in the cool air that brushed against her arms. Loke led them to a set of large glass double doors- the name of the agency Erza mentioned earlier printed out in frosted letters on the glass:

 _Fiore_

 _Agents of_

 _Intelligence and_

 _Recruiters of_

 _Youths_

 _Trained in_

 _Arms and_

 _Investigators of_

 _Loss_

It seemed like an odd name, but Lucy didn't question it as she followed the rest inside. They entered a lobby area, where a girl who looked frighteningly like Yukino sat behind a desk. A black earpiece was in her ear, and a nametag that read 'Lisanna' in bold letters was pinned to the front of her pink and yellow striped shirt. Her big blue eyes glanced up at them when the breeze ruffled her short white hair, and they brightened in recognition and happiness. "Natsu, Erza, Loke," she listed, marking something down on a sheet. "And who are these ladies?" She inquired.

Erza smiled at the girl. "Hello, Lisanna. These are the girl we were sent to rescue," she informed her, and Lisanna's eyes widened.

"Oh my goodness!" She exclaimed. "Are you girls alright? Should I send someone to get you blankets and some food? How about a hot chocolate, does that sound good?" She asked hurriedly, a motherly look of concern on her face.

Lucy smiled at her kindness, and instantly liked this girl. "No, no, that's okay," she reassured. "We ate earlier today, and blankets aren't necessary. But thank you," she added.

Lisanna nodded, but the worry didn't completely leave her face. "Alrighty, then," she began, turning back to Natsu, Erza, and Loke. "Levy is still in her cubicle, but I'll-" her voice was cut off by another one.

"I'm here!" A petite girl yelled, rushing towards them. A headpiece sat amongst a head of unruly cerulean locks, and her brown eyes were bright with excitement.

"Hey, Lev-" Natsu started, but the girl shoved him aside as she made her way to Lucy and Yukino.

"I'm Levy McGarden," she introduced herself, grasping one of their hand in each of her own. "And I can't tell you how much I have been dying to meet you."

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Lucy, Yukino, Natsu, Erza, and Levy were standing in a laboratory. Levy examined the two new women from head to toe, jotting down careful notes and sketches in her notebook. She was mapping the constellation tattoos that decorated Lucy and Yukino's bodies, studying them with great interest. She chatted with them as she worked, talking about their the favorite books that they had in common and their differing opinions on the endings.

"Honestly, the ending was just rushed. She could have dragged it out so much longer, but instead, she smushed a bunch of emotions together and called it an ending. I mean, Kit and Nat could have said so much more than three line to confess their love and to propose, you know?" She ranted, marking a spot on her diagram.

Yukino nodded. "Definitely. She built up the growing affection they had for each other, but completely botched it when it came to actually having them express them fully," she agreed, and sighed. "Oh, well. I guess we just have to rely on Lucy to write a book like that, and do a proper job of it," she joked, smiling slightly.

Levy turned her gaze to the blonde, her eyebrows raised. "You write?" She asked.

Lucy nodded. "A little," she confessed.

Levy smiled. "Well, then, you have to let me read what you got, 'kay?"

The blonde woman smiled shyly. "Sure," she agreed.

Levy winked, then glanced down at her book and nodded in satisfaction. "Okay, guys. I've mapped out all the markings on the girls' bodies. Pisces is on the left shoulder, Libra on the right, Cancer on the inner forearm on the left, and Capricorn on the right. On the left hand is Gemini, and Aquarius is on the right. Leo and Taurus are on the back, Leo in between the shoulders. Virgo is on the chest, and Aries is on the stomach." She pulled out a chart from her back pocket- it depicted a human diagram, the same markings in the same places. "It's true, then. Lucy and Yukino are Fae."

The girls nodded, as they had already known the fact. Fae, or elves, as they were more commonly referred to, were a special type of creature who possesses inhuman beauty and thrived off open air and freedom. Their bodies all had the same constellations on their skin from birth- they never faded, or came off. Fae genes were passed down through mothers, which meant that only females could be Fae. Centuries ago, they had been just as numerous as humans, coexisting with all the other creatures on the planet. But over time, their numbers dwindled, until only a few Fae remained. Though they were practically human, they had been put on the endangered animals of the world list, ranking spot number two. Lucy and Yukino, though they hadn't met before Bora had kidnapped them, had led very similar lives; they and their family grew up in secluded regions of Fiore, avoiding largely populated cities. They had grown up simply, without fussing over their heritage.

"Now that that is confirmed, let's get to work dealing with Lord Bora," Erza ordered.

* * *

It was two weeks after Lucy and Yukino had been rescued from Bora's mansion, and things were great. Levy used the recordings from Erza and Natsu's microphones as evidence against Bora, and he had himself stripped of his lands and title, and sent to jail. Lucy and Yukino lived with Erza in her apartment for the time being, and they went to work with her. Gradually, strong bonds began to form between the girls and the other members of Fairy Tail. Yukino had instantly become close friends with Sting Eucliffe and Rogue Cheney, two friends of Natsu's from out of work. Lucy grew closer to Natsu himself; the endearing idiot had quickly won a place in her heart. For the first time in her whole life, Lucy felt that she was truly free.


End file.
